Build:E/A Assassin's Promise Nuker

The PvXwiki community finds this to be a good build. If you disagree with this rating, please discuss it on the build's talk page. This build has been designed for the following use: PvE general

Use Assassin's Promise for energy management and the hard hitting single-target abilities of Air Magic or the AoE shutdown of Earth Magic. Works equally well in Hero/Hench teams and full human teams.

Attributes and Skills

<pvxbig> [build prof=E/A Deadly=12 Energy=3+1][Assassin's Promise]["You Move Like a Dwarf!"][Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support]["Finish Him!"][Optional][Optional][Glyph of Lesser Energy][Optional][/build]

• Air Magic (12+1+3):

• [[Lightning Orb@16] Strong Single-target damage spell with Cracked Armour.
• [[Chain Lightning@16] Strong multi-targeting damage spell.
• [[Air Attunement@16]

• Earth Magic (12+1+3):

• [[Eruption@16] - AoE Blind/damage.
• [[Churning Earth@16] knocks down moving foes(all foes in Hard Mode).
• [[Earth Attunement@16]

• Fire Magic (12+1+3):

• [[Glyph of Sacrifice@0] to avoid long casting time of Meteor Shower
• [[Meteor Shower@16] for spamming KDs to take down groups easier
• [[Meteor@16] for more knocklocking. Beware of exhaustion.
• [[Mark of Rodgort@16] - For AoE cover hex and burning

Other Options

• [[Energy Blast@8] good damage if you decide put some more points in ES
• [[Glyph of Sacrifice@12] elite skill negates the downside of this
• [[Enduring Toxin@12] for a quick-casting cover hex
• [[Ebon Battle Standard of Honor@10] over "YMLaD!" or "Finish Him!" When using Earth spells to increase AoE damage considerably.

</pvxbig>

Equipment

• Either Radiant or Survivor Insignias.
• Vitae or Attunement runes, with the best vigor rune affordable.
• New users might find energy to be more beneficial than hp. However, with experience, the energy is no longer an issue.
• Half Skill Recharge is unnecessary on mods, however half-cast time is desirable.

• Ideal would be an Adept (air or earth) Staff of Fortitude with Aptitude Not Attitude inscription.

Usage

• Maintain Air/Earth Attunement when possible.
• Use Glyph of Lesser Energy as often as necessary.
• Use Assassin's Promise on called target when health begins to drop.
• Remember that shouts can be used during the cast of other spells, and use them accordingly.
• Due to the nature of the Earth variant, cast AP only when the foe has dropped past 50% health, lower or when you see their death in 6 seconds being imminent (i.e. no enemy healers left).

• For the earth variant, use Churning Earth before Eruption to help prevent scatter.

• A very common and effective opening sequence would be to target the healer in the group and the following sequence.

• Glyph of Lesser Energy
• Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support
• Lightning Orb or Churning Earth and use YMLAD during the cast
• The target should be under half health, so Assassin's Promise, "Finish Him!", and Chain Lightning or Eruption. The target is likely dead.
• All skills are recharged through AP, so reuse the glyph if needed, and repeat the damage.

Counters

• Hex Removal of AP.
• Failure to kill AP marked targets.
• Vocal Minority prevents shouts. Consider other PvE-only skills in areas where this may be a problem.

See Also

• Build:Me/A Assassin's Promise Spiker - Mesmer concept of Assassin's Promise build.
• Build:N/A Mark of Pain Nuker - Necro variation of the Assassin's Promise build for pve physical damage teams.